New building regulations to come into force this week
29 June 2022
Anyone involved in the building industry should note that from this week a number of changes in Building Regulations will come into force, requiring additional checks to meet the new standards.
Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Building Control Department issued the reminder today that from Thursday June 30th, all local architects, developers and those building private homes must comply with the new regulations.
The change to guidance documents has been issued by the Department of Finance, and is associated with Part F (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations (NI) 2012.
The new protocols will require designers to carry out additional checks in order to demonstrate the required level of compliance now required.
Head of Environment and Building Control at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Conor Canning, explained more. “These updated regulations will mean that all those involved in the construction industry or private building works will have to carry out checks including meeting a reduced Target Carbon Dioxide Emission Rate (TER) as part of the Standard Assessment Procedure,” he outlined.
“There will also be more stringent building fabric requirements as well as air tightness testing and consideration of connections to the electricity grid to be taken into account.
“While it will mean more thorough checks are now necessary, these changes aim to improve the energy efficiency of new buildings, helping our environment and making our construction industry more sustainable. I would recommend that all those involved in the building trade make themselves aware of the new regulations to ensure they can comply in full as soon as possible.”